Council Regulation (EU) No 36/2012 concerning restrictive measures in view of the situation in Syria gave effect to Council Decision 2011/782/CFSP, which was repealed and replaced by Council Decision 2012/739/CFSP. On 1 June 2013 Decision 2012/739/CFSP expired. It was succeeded by Decision 2013/255/CFSP which applies until 1 June 2014.

It is necessary to clarify that derogation from the freezing of funds or economic resources necessary for humanitarian assistance should only be granted if funds or economic resources are released to the United Nations for the purpose of delivering such assistance in accordance with the UN Syria Humanitarian Assistance Response Plan. When considering requests for authorisation, competent authorities should take into account the humanitarian principles as set out in the European Consensus on Humanitarian Aid.

It is also necessary to provide for derogation from the prohibition of financing and financial assistance related to activities undertaken by the Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW) in accordance with UN Security Council Resolution 2118(2013), and to provide for a prohibition with regard to goods constituting Syrian cultural heritage which have been illegally removed from Syria with the objective of facilitating the safe return of these goods to their legitimate owners.

Further action by the Union is needed in order to implement these measures. The High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy and the Europan Commission propose to amend Regulation (EU) No 36/2012 accordingly.